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I recently had a health scare that bordered on the possibility of terminal news, yet thanks be to God, after more tests, a procedure, and some treatment, there will be a lot more articles coming along from me. During that time of uncertainty, however, it made me question what legacy I would be leaving, including my tech legacy. We all say that we do this simply for the glory of God and to serve the church. But let’s be honest, we all wonder whether what we do matters. If we don’t show up tomorrow, service will still happen on Sunday morning. So, I questioned, have all my fader moves, lighting cues, PCO invites, and ProPresenter spacebar presses really been worth anything more than a weekly “atta-boy”?
We all say that we do this simply for the glory of God and to serve the church. But let’s be honest, we all wonder whether what we do matters.
Right at my lowest point, I received a social media invitation to an anniversary party for the business of one of my former employees, while simultaneously three other former employees messaged me a picture of them meeting up for lunch. Both of these struck me deeply. It showed that our legacy is not established through titles and accomplishments, but the people who we invest in. I mean, doesn’t feel good to say I’m a TD at Saddleback, Director of Multimedia at Cal Baptist University, or hold the only PhD in church production? Of course, it does. But what means more is being the first person a former employee reached out to when she got accepted to grad school. Or being randomly tagged on Facebook by a former volunteer saying that he was thankful for the opportunity he got today because me believing in him five years earlier.
Living faith
The sign of being part of the “OG” is that you stop finding fulfillment in your accomplishments and start finding joy in seeing those who you helped groom achieve their own. When I think back to who my mentors were, they were not only the people who taught me the tangible skills necessary for my job, but they were the one’s who believed in me: they gave me my shot. They demonstrated their faith by their works (James 2:18).
They represented Paul’s call to “not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also the interests of others” (Phil 2:4).
Our tech legacies will never be found as a line-item on a resume. They will be found in lives changed. Christ’s legacy is not that he lived and taught, but that he changed hearts and saved souls.
As tech leaders, our church leadership may judge our Sunday performance by whether we missed a mic cue, but Paul [in Philippians 4] is saying that we can rejoice in the Lord—and the Lord too rejoices—when we build up those who serve with us.
In Philippians 4, Paul outlines the importance of practical counsel from others in the faith. He pleads with the church to help those who helped him. In other words, give back to those who also give. In this chapter, Paul is explaining the importance of giving both tangible assistance—teaching them—and spiritual assistance. As tech leaders, our church leadership may judge our Sunday performance by whether we missed a mic cue, but Paul is saying that we can rejoice in the Lord—and the Lord too rejoices—when we build up those who serve with us. We are their role models; not only in AV, but in the faith: “Do what you have learned and received and heard from me, and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you” (Phil 4:9). When we invest in others, we don’t just leave our legacy through them, we leave Christ’s. When we provide the “acceptable sacrifice pleasing to God” of investing in our brothers and sisters in Christ, we ourselves are “fully supplied” (Phil 4:18) and God is glorified (4:20).
When we invest in others, we don’t just leave our legacy through them, we leave Christ’s.
So, let’s not take anything for granted. Every Planning Center request is not simply a name-slot to be filled, it’s a soul yearning to be invested in with knowledge of our craft and love of Christ. Let them know that you care about them and their spiritual journey more than you care about how perfectly they perform their job. Let’s use every opportunity to pass on not only our tech knowledge, but our love of Christ and them. Though the church has and will survive without us, it can be better because of us. When we are leading worship in heaven, we will be able to do so standing alongside generations of those whom left their legacy in us and others with whom our legacy was left generations removed. Let’s give of ourselves, all of ourselves. That is how we make legacies of Christ and tech.
